Turkey & the Balkans
Erdoğan's victory and the West
31 May 2023
Erdoğan’s re-election as Turkish president means that Ankara’s relations with its Western allies will remain turbulent. The West should expect a bumpy ride.
The EU and Turkey after the elections: The start of a new chapter?
29 March 2023
Whatever the outcome of the elections, Turkey and the EU will have shared challenges to address. But the result will define the likely balance between co-operation and confrontation for years.
Can EU enlargement gain momentum?
03 November 2022
The war in Ukraine reinvigorated EU enlargement, but recent momentum will be hard to maintain. The Union should increase support for candidates and further develop ways to integrate them before membership.
Turbulence ahead for Turkey and the West
20 May 2022
Turkey's objections to Finland and Sweden joining NATO have put the spotlight on Ankara’s role in the alliance. Even if a compromise is found, Turkey’s relations with Europe and the US will remain fractious.
From partners to rivals? The future of EU-Turkey relations
23 June 2021
EU-Turkey tensions have cooled since last summer. Relations are unlikely to improve as long as Ankara's domestic and foreign policies continue to cause friction with many member-states.
Turkey rising?
30 November 2020
Turkey’s foreign policy has become increasingly militarised and assertive, driven by a mix of ambition, security concerns and domestic politics. However, despite its recent successes, Ankara is at risk of overreaching.
Bulletin issue 135 - December 2020/January 2021
30 November 2020
- Can Biden mend Trump's foreign policy mess?, Ian Bond
- Navigating accidental illegality, Sam Lowe
- Turkey rising?, Luigi Scazzieri
Can the EU and Turkey avoid more confrontation?
10 August 2020
Tensions between Europe and Turkey are rising. The EU should forge a firm common stance with London and Washington, while keeping the door open for better relations.
Turkey and the EU: Preserving transactional co-operation
26 March 2020
Despite growing tensions with Turkey on many issues, it is in the EU’s interest to renew co-operation on migration with Ankara. The Union should also try to shift the relationship in a less confrontational direction.
Bulletin issue 131 - April/May 2020
26 March 2020
- The two economic stages of coronavirus, Christian Odendahl, John Springford
- Turkey and the EU: Preserving transactional co-operation, Luigi Scazzieri
- Can the EU's defence ambitions survive budget cuts?, Sophia Besch
Europe should keep Turkey close
27 July 2018
EU-Turkey relations have deteriorated sharply in recent years, and even maintaining transactional co-operation could become increasingly difficult. The challenge for Europe is how to prevent relations from souring further.
Can the EU-Turkey migration deal survive Erdoğan’s purges?
02 August 2016
Erdoğan’s actions threaten to derail the migration deal. The EU should postpone visa liberalisation and show it is willing to be tough.
Into the bazaar of EU-Turkey relations
23 March 2016
If the EU is more strategic in dealing with Turkey, it can pursue its interests without compromising its values.
Gas on troubled waters?
13 January 2014
Cyprus must find a way to export its natural gas. A grand bargain with Israel and Turkey would improve politics in the region and benefit Europe.
Turkey’s Twitter generation is its European future
19 June 2013
The protests in Turkey show Erdogan's leadership style is at odds with the more pluralist and modern society that his government's EU-inspired reforms have fostered.
The European External Action Service
15 March 2013
The European External Action Service (EEAS) is, potentially, a very useful tool for enhancing British influence in the EU and in the world.
Issue 88 - 2013
25 January 2013
- Leaving the EU will not set Britain's economy free, Philip Whyte
- Why the EU should support France in the Sahel, Rem Korteweg
- Can Turkey and the UK learn from each other's EU strategies?, Katinka Barysch
Europe's External Action Service: Ten steps towards a credible EU foreign policy
04 July 2012
The EU's new diplomatic service has been widely criticised. Although the EEAS has achieved more than many acknowledge, it can still do a lot better.
Is Turkey our partner now?
28 November 2011
Six years after the start of accession talks, the EU and Turkey are struggling to keep up a semblance of progress. Having opened talks on 13 chapters of EU law by mid- 2010, they have not started on a new one for over a year now. Most of the remaining...
Press freedom – the new accession criterion?
16 May 2011
Countries that want to join the EU need to show that their democracies work well. However, press freedom – a key ingredient of any pluralist democracy – is under threat in most of the countries that are now queuing for accession.